1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to separators for separating liquids and gases and/or liquids and liquids. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, the present invention relates to high-volume separators for removing liquids such as oil and water from natural gas.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
Separators are often used to separate liquids from gases, as well as liquids from other liquids. Some separators separate oil and gas, or water and gas. Other separators separate oil, water and gas. When gas is separated, it generally migrates to the top of the separator vessel due to its relatively lower density. However, in separators processing high volumes of liquid, and during surges in separators, liquid may not be sufficiently removed from the gas, and may pass through the separator to the gas outlet. One solution to this problem is to use a bigger vessel. However, this can be expensive.
As such, there is a perpetual need for more-efficient, more-effective, and/or less-expensive separators such as, for example, separators for removing oil and water from gas.